What's up guys. I need some opinions. I hunt a decently sized tract of private land, club for lack of a better term, and am looking for what would be the best fit. I'm in pretty good shape, so mobility is not an issue. I have my own "area" of the club if you will (no one within 1500 yards). Would love to leave the stand or climber there the whole season. Really new to this whole thing, can I get some pros and cons of both?
I use both throughout the season. I have lock on (hang on) stands hung throughout the area I hunt. Normally around fields and other high traffic areas. If I hunt the woods that have a lot of tall, straight trees I take my climber. The climber is nice because it is more mobile. The con with it is you need a good, straight tree with few, if any limbs for the first 18-20ft. Those aren't always in the perfect spot. That's where a lock on would be better. It really is up to the hunter though. If you hunt in an area with plenty of good trees for a climber then I would go that route because you only need one stand. If that isn't the type of area you have then I would invest in some good lock-on stands and tree steps.
I use a climber exclusively. A Summit Viper SD to be exact. It's light and easy to set up. I always take it with me so I don't have to worry about it getting stolen. I use a climber because I can always move with the deer.
I'd go climber just because it's easy to pack back up to try new spots and to take home if your property is not private. I generally just use ladder stands since I hunt private land and they easy to put up and cheap.
If you're gonna leave it in one spot or maybe only move it once or twice I would go with a hang on or a lock on stand
I would put up 1 or 3 hang on stands in areas you know you will visit regularly. You can get these at a good price. Then I would get a nice, light sticks and hang on so if you want to hunt somewhere else or be mobile, it's not a huge amount of work, noise, scent... I'm not a climber fan for a few reasons... I find myself doing more hunting for a tree than for deer, I don't like the way they feel against a tree (I feel like I'm going to fall out), and I think they're noisier and hard to manage in the dark, cold, morning... I have a muddy sticks and stand and a climber... the sticks and stand are hugely quicker for me. Oh, and I can put it in any tree. Not just a straight tree with no branches...
Both have their pros and cons. If I'm going to hunt all day I like my Summit climbers. They are so comfortable and I can catch a nap in them. Finding that perfect tree for a climber can be a pain at times. Never seems to be one where I want to hunt. Hang-ons seem to keep you a little more concealed to me. You can go up trees with limbs and that will help hide you. More options with hang-ons as far as finding trees go. Also once setup you can get into your stand faster and quieter. I just bought a Summit Raptor RSX Hawk Hang-on. It has a Talon bracket that you put around the tree then you just haul up your stand and set it in it. That should make setup quicker and quieter. You can buy extra Talon brackets for different stand locations. Have your trees already picked out, with lanes cleared and have that bracket already in place. Then you can just take your stand and steps to whatever tree you want to hunt. If the wind changes direction, move to the better tree. I have a lease this year that's why I went with the Raptor. Instead of buying a few hang-ons I figure I'll buy the one stand with extra brackets. My friend that's on the lease with me has the same stand. We're just going to put brackets all over. Then we can just Stick & Move so to speak! Good luck!
I like to post a few hang ons threwout the area im hunting that are my "sweet spots" and when I don't hunt those spots I use lone wolf climbing sticks with a Hangon stand. Its super quiet and easy to use in the dark and I can sit in any tree. I still have my climber but once I got my lone wolf sticks it hasn't moved its spot in the shed. Mentioning that......anyone need a good climber?
More of a ladder stand guy but when I don't use the ladder I have a LW climber that is for those mobile situations.
I hunt public land so I pack in I pack out. With that said if I go in blind I'll use a hang on w/ sticks, but if in know a area that I can use my summit viper I will.
I'm a fan of Lightweight Hang on stands over climbers. Yes a climber will go up a telephone of a tree pole a little faster, but its not to much harder to set up a hang on in a tree like that either. But where the hang on shines IMO is the range of options you get will a climb on. Options on trees, Placement, Leaving it or taking it, You can even set newer hang ons to sit level in a leaning tree and I don't know if that is possible with climbers. Plus I think Hang ons are a little safer. Just my four cents
